The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-07-14
AMPUTATIONS.
Their Effect on General Health, as shown by
Comrades Experience.


Comrades Experience.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: was nleased
TO see it mentioned in recent issue that In,
Medical Referee of the Pension Bureau has
issued circular 10 the medical fraternity oil
the country for the purpose of asceriaining the
opinions of the profession how much influence
amputations and resections of limbs influence
the vital organs. l am firmly of the opinion
that ampntations and resectiops do have de.
cided influence in many, if not all cases on
some vital organs, aud / base nv opinion on
personal experience. For the benefit of DIR.
John Campbell. the fraternity at large. aud
especially my manned comrades | make the
following statement:
My right forearm was amputated jan 10
1863. AT the time my weight was IsO pounds.
Since that have never st any time weighed
over l6l, and down AS low as tabout five years
ago. l35. My right arm-what is left Of it's
much smaller than the left; also my right
shoulder and breast is thin and sunken. From
lack of proper circulation my arm is cold even
IN the warmest days of Summer, aud in Winter
i positively suffer- even when we'll protected
by abundance of the warmest clothing When
exposed 90 cold my arm is soon like ice. the
cold extending from the arm ntO not over the
body 10y means Of the almost frozen blood from
my arm.
Ever since the amputation have been easily
affected with bad cold. !" as it is usually called.
and every one knows what IL means. although
not technical term, and the part Of the body
most affected is, and has been, persistently the
right lung.
About 1875 began TO notice the weakness of
the right lung, and a few years later | had
some siight hemOrrhages, and my physician
advised change Of climate / then lived in
Ohio. came here, and have been benefited by
the dry, pure air Of the mountains | know
the trouble is not cured. am almost positive
that my death will finally result from this
trouble. i am also sure that the weakness of
my lung resulted from that amputatiou on
the night of Jan. 10, 1863, in the woods al
Arkansas Post. Should not my family be emit
tied 10 draw pension if / should, under the cir
cumstance, die OF consumption? / came of
sound ancestry; j was robust as an oak before
] was manned. On the other hand. under ey-
listing laws and the practice of the Pension
Office, how could my family establish their
night 10 pensionf Should not some proyision
be made for such cases2 Undoubtedly there
should
My idea is something like this: If existing
laws are inadequate-as they undoubtedly are
-COngrcSs should enact one 10 cover the ease
aud one of its provisions should empower or
authorize the soldier ia such cases TO perpetuate
the evidence for the benefit of his family after
has death. do not take this position simnlv
because am an interested party but because
there are many Of my old comrades all over tho
land whose families will be benefited. and
justly SO. i know Of many personally who I
believe died from disease resulting from ampu-
tation and wounds, too, whose families are
sadly in need of the little pittance. 10 which
they are justly entitled, morally, II not legally
j stand ready 10 argue this case, publicly or
privately, with any person, class or Profession
= Is. fEoMAN, Captain, Co. A, 5ith Ohio. and
COLONEL, AID U. 5. Z. T., Brevet Brigadier
General u. s. Vols Silver Glib. Colo.